Different Types Of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that can affect youngster and infants, and involves inefficient or improper control of movements. There are a number of causes of cerebral palsy, and also a number of symptoms associated with this disorder. Diagnosing cerebral palsy can take some time, due to the careful evaluation and assessment of the symptoms, which is required in order for an effective diagnosis. There are also a number of types of cerebral palsy, each of which identified by the way in which the cerebral palsy was caused. The symptoms of cerebral palsy will usually become evident by the time the child reaches three years of age, and are generally noticed by the parent or a close professional such as a teacher/nursery nurse or a doctor/health visitor.

Some of the different types of cerebral palsy are as follows:

Acquired cerebral palsy: This type of cerebral palsy result from damage or injury incurred after birth, and is therefore ‘acquired’ after birth. This for of cerebral palsy is not all that common, and about twenty percent of young cerebral sufferers have acquired cerebral palsy. There are a number of possible causes of acquired cerebral palsy, including head injuries, infections, meningitis, and brain damage.

Congenital cerebral palsy: Another of cerebral palsy is congenital, and this is contracted at birth or during the pregnancy. A number of causes can result in this type of cerebral palsy, such as infections, damage, or disease during pregnancy, as well as infections or damage caused during or directly after the birth. If the baby is born with jaundice, which is then left untreated, this can also result in cerebral palsy.

Spastic cerebral palsy: This type of cerebral palsy makes up about eighty percent of cerebral palsy sufferers. With this type of cerebral palsy, movement can be very limited due to groups of tight muscles. This can lead to the child being unable to hold or release objects properly, can lead to very stiff and difficult movement, and can result in difficult in changing positions.

Athetoid cerebral palsy: This form of cerebral palsy affects the areas of the brain that are responsible for processing signals that allow for efficient and proper co-ordination and posture. The part of the brain affected is the cerebellum, and damage to the area can result in lack of co-ordination as well as involuntary movement in the trunk, arms and face (and possible other areas). This can then lead to other problems that result directly from the involuntary movements. This type of cerebral palsy affects around ten percent of children that suffer from the disease, and can affect coordination, posture, and muscle tone.

Ataxic cerebral palsy: This type of cerebral palsy is where the child has poor muscle tone, and movement is poorly co-coordinated. This can lead to unsteadiness and shakiness in the child, can affect balance and perception. This form of cerebral palsy is rare, and can result in very poor coordination, shakiness, tremors, and can also result in a wide-gaited walk. Around five to ten percent of cerebral palsy children suffer from this form of the disorder.

Mixed cerebral palsy: This type of cerebral palsy is a combination of other types of cerebral palsy. This is due to the areas of the brain that are affected by mixed cerebral palsy, and it can be combination of any of the other types although the most common is a mix between spastic cerebral palsy and athetoid cerebral palsy.

The wide variation of cerebral palsy types can be identified by the symptoms displayed by the child, and through assessments carried out by health professionals and doctors. However, all types of this disease will affect coordination and movement in some way.